Dynamo down New England, repeat as champs

One year after beating the New England Revolution on penalty kicks to claim the MLS Cup title in their inaugural season, the Houston Dynamo rallied for a 2-1 win over New England and a second consecutive championship at RFK Stadium in Washington, D.C.

New England, playing in its fourth MLS Cup final in the last six years, opened the scoring in the 20th minute when Steve Ralston’s cross found an open Taylor Twellman in the box, and Twellman’s header beat Pat Onstad.

In the second half, the Dynamo changed formations, switching from their tried and tested 4-4-2 to a 3-5-2 formation to match New England’s strength in the midfield. The game soon turned, and the Dynamo tied the game in the 61st minute.

Brian Mullan’s cross fell to Dwayne De Rosario at the back post, and his centering pass bounced around the box before Joseph Ngwenya finally slid to send the ball under a charging Matt Reis.

With overtime a looming possibility, De Rosario produced a moment of magic to help the Dynamo lift the trophy once more. Craig Waibel and Brad Davis exchanged passes near the right sideline, and Davis then bent a cross to the top of the box. De Rosario met it with a sudden, decisive header that beat Reis to the near post and sent the Dynamo fans in the crowd of 39,858 into ecstasy.

Onstad stood tall in the final minutes, including a reflex save on a close-range Jeff Larentowicz header, and finished with seven saves. When the final whistle blew, the Dynamo had become only the second team in MLS history to repeat as champions.

De Rosario, one of several Houston players to win his fourth MLS Cup title, became the first player in league history to earn two MLS Cup MVP awards.